Almost two years ago, I wrote a post that was a letter from my current blogging self to my past blogging self. At the time, I had just started freelance writing, and although I had barely begun, I had already started to think about leaving my day job and writing full time (which I have now done). In the letter, I made a comment that I wished my future self could write me a letter telling me whether or not I should go for it.
So here it is.
Dear Past You,
I watch you sitting there, your brain ticking a thousand miles a minute, wondering whether you should quit your safe but boring day job and really live the life you want to live – the life of a writer.
I can almost hear your thoughts:
What if I don’t make enough money to cover my bills?
What if I fail?
What if it’s too hard?
What if no one likes my writing?
But there’s another voice too. It’s small, but you’re hearing it:
What if I can make it work?
What if I can live the life I’ve always wanted?
You’ve only been freelance writing for a week or two, but already you can see the potential. Writing is what you love, especially fiction, and you’ve now seen the hundreds of opportunities for ghostwriters. The jobs you’ve done so far have gone well, and you’re making more per hour (like a lot more) than you are in your day job.
And so you allow yourself to dream. But what you really want is a definite answer. Someone to tell you can do this. Well here’s the deal with that. No one else can tell you that but yourself. Only you can make it happen. And here’s some good news. You will. But I’m getting ahead of myself…
Something will happen within the next few weeks. You will be scammed by a client and it will give you so much self doubt. You’ll question everything and really start to think this industry isn’t for you. You’ll stop altogether for a few days.
But then that bug will niggle at you, your inner voice will tell you that people learn by mistakes. You’ll see that it’s not the end of the world. It wasn’t a huge job, and you’ve learned a valuable lesson – trust your gut instinct. Because you knew something was off with that job, even as you started it.
And you’ll go back to it. And you’ll come to see that most people are honest. It won’t happen to you again, because you’ll walk away when something feels off.
Over the next few months that voice, the one that tells you making a real living this way could be a reality, gets louder. And you listen. Dreams become plans and you start to think seriously about it. Then one rainy day in October you’ll be sitting at work, thinking of the writing you could be doing instead, and the fact that you could be making more money at home than you are at work.
That’s when it will really hit you. You will work out your budget right there and then, and you will know you can make that amount of money per month fairly easily, but you’ll be sensible and factor in some savings for the slow months. And just like that, you will write your notice and go back to work the next day and hand it in.
It won’t be for a few month after you quit your job that you learn that the general consensus is that making a full time living from writing is impossible. You already know that’s not true, because you’re already doing it. That will inspire you to push yourself harder, and it will inspire you to talk about your journey on this blog so that you can show other people that nothing is impossible if you work hard enough for it.
So in answer to your original question, should you quit your day job now? No. You shouldn’t. Not yet.
You should use the next few months to learn everything you can about the industry – work on jobs you can fit in around your schedule and start building a name for yourself. Save some money so you have a safety net.
And on that rainy day in October, when that voice tells you if you don’t leave now, you never will, listen to it. And know this – you made the right decision.
Yours sincerely,
Future You.
P.S. In case you need any more convincing, within two years you’ll have written several best selling novels – actual bestsellers, not just number one in their Kindle category (and yes, people who say their novels are bestselling for this reason will still annoy you, and no, no one will have stopped doing it), a movie script and hundreds of other works. And you’ll be just starting to branch out into writing courses that will help other people to replicate your success.
Do you ever wish you could get a letter from your future self telling you what you should do? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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Hari OM
It’s not something I have done, or think I would do, though I can tell you that this is a technique I have advised my counselling clients to utilise in order to provide objectivity of the now… by seeing the path and arrival appoint, the now becomes more sensible and any path away from it reveals more clearly… or that the now is exactly as it needs to be and no escape route necessary! Why not for myself? … too much of a ‘now’ person I guess!
I liked your letter though; it is a big decision to be self-employed, no matter the field. As a medic and counsellor, I earned way less than I had in my corporate days (breadline level), but I was so much more content and complete in myself and that is a wealth worth the risk. YAM xx
It’s not something I’d ever thought of doing, but I had a month where I basically put myself out there and told my readers I would write whatever they wanted and someone requested a letter to my blogging self when I first started. It was a lot of fun to write and I fancied doing it again.
I totally agree that being content in your work life is worth way more than money! x
I wish future self could tell me what to do! It would be awesome! (Though, that may be my submissive side coming out a bit, heh.)
It could be haha but it really would make difficult decisions easier!
Ah you’ve done amazingly well! Congratulations on your success! It’s so amazing when you find that calling and what you ultimately love to do 🙂
Thank you so much 🙂
I love this so much that I’m going to write myself a letter now! #BloggerClubUK
I wrote myself a letter! #AnythingGoes
Wow, I had no idea you’d done so much ghostwriting work, Debbie! Good for you. I’m a ghostwriter as well, but so far haven’t landed any amazing jobs, except the co-writing gig for Harlequin.
If you ever write a post about how to get more well-paying gigs, I’d be first in line to read it. Great post!
I might just do that!
Great Post, going to write myself a letter now. #BloggerClubUK
Glad it worked out #BlogClubUK
This is so great, and really inspiring for other newbie writers (like myself), because it is a scary world out there! #BloggerClubUK
I love this. It’s exactly what’s going on in my head at the moment. The constant tug of war between the “what if it works” and “what if it isn’t”. I ask myself this about my day job and blogging. Your advise to your former self is wise and reasoned. I’m going to take it myself. Thank you for sharing it. #BloggerClubUK
I’m really glad it’s helped you – good luck with your decision 🙂
very good letter and good for us newbies to know #bloggerclubuk
Oh I would love to get a letter from my future self telling me that I am successful in the future… to give me encouragement to continue and strive. At the same time, not knowing what our future is, also is nature’s way of helping us move along. #BloggerClubUK
Did you write those best selling novels? Ha ha. Thanks for the encouragement! New at blogging and it is nice to hear words from those who have plowed ahead of me. #bloggerclubuk
Haha 😀 I always thought it was a cliché when I heard people saying blogging changed their lives, but it really isn’t and one day, you’ll be writing something like this telling people who are new to it all the same thing.
You’ve done really well Debbie. Well done. #bloggerclubuk
Thank you 🙂
A massive congratulations you really have achieved so much. I really admire you for having the courage to go for it! #BloggerClubUK
Thank you – I’m so glad I made the jump
Really enjoyed reading this.
Thank you 🙂
Love how things worked out for you but also love how you inspire and share with so many others #BloggerClubUK
Thank you. If my story makes even one person see that they can do this, then I’ll be happy 🙂
Oh a letter from my future self would be awesome right now! So many options… not sure what to choose. #BloggerClubUK
Checking back in with #AnythingGoes
Inspiring stuff – listen to your heart (and mind) and do what you love. #bloggerclubuk
You’ve achieved so much! Must be such an amazing feeling to have best selling novels!! #bloggerclubuk
Thank you 🙂
What a brilliant and inspiring post! Well done on achieving your dreams and not listening to that self doubt #bloggerclubUK
Thank you so much – I hope it makes others see that they can do it too.
I love this idea, we can be our own worse critic. Hindsight is a valuable lesson X #bloggerclubuk
That is so true on both counts x
What a great idea to write a letter to yourself, must be a great way of reflecting. #BloggerClubUk
Well done on taking that leap. I think everyone must go through those doubts but if you have determination, then you’ll succeed – as you have done 🙂 #BloggerClubUK
This is something I wish I could convince my self to do. I would love to be a full time writer but I get writer’s block – A LOT! and I lose my motivation to write – A LOT – so I’m still afraid to take the plunge. I think we all get there in our own time but I really needed to read this! Great Post Debbie! #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 I used to find I wasn’t always motivated to write, but deadlines make you motivated (or at least they do for me lol)
Hi, I love this idea and congratulations on all that you have achieved.I think that I may have to do this myself #bloggerclubuk
Thank you 🙂 Hope you do decide to do it – it’s great to look back on how much has changed
It sounds like if you don’t try you’ll never know. It’s lovely to read that things have worked out for you. #bloggerclubuk
Sometimes it’s hard to see how far we are going until you look back. I think I concentrate on how much I still have to do to get ‘there’ – but don’t check back often enough to see how far I’ve come xx
I was tidying up my blog and getting it GDPR ready and found a 2015 guest post from you where you said you were planning to write and I replied that i hadn’t doubted that you would for a moment! It’s lovely when good things happen to good people and they manage to achieve their dreams 🙂
Oh wow that shows how long I’ve wanted to do this for! Thank you for believing in me 🙂
These letters are always so inspirational. I hope you know how much you are helping others by sharing your progress #AnythingGoes
Thank you 🙂 I just want to show people that it is possible
You have achieved so much and have a lot to be proud of. Making that first step and coping with the self doubt is a huge obstacle to overcome #anythinggoes
Thank you so much 🙂